Muskogee purple crape myrtles will replace Dynamite reds in a state-funded landscape project at I-65 and Alabama 67 in Priceville.

The change was approved by the town council after a consultation involving Mayor Melvin Duran, project engineer Gerald Clark and representatives of the Alabama Department of Transportation.

Town officials were informed that Dynamite (Red) crape myrtles have developed a fungus over time and are no longer recommended for projects such as Priceville’s. For that reason, plans were changed to use Regal (red) Crape Myrtles instead. However, that plan had to be changed after the contractor was unable to locate a large source for the Regal variety.

The original plan’s provision for the use of Natchez white crape Myrtles has not changed.

The landscape project was awarded to Campbell Landscape of Scottsboro on a low bid of $241,884 on March 25. The town is paying the engineering and inspection cost.